In attempting to present with romantic setting a truthful and realisticpicture of the powerful and picturesque Indian tribes that inhabitedthe Oregon country two centuries ago, the author could not beindifferent to the many serious difficulties inseparable from such anenterprise Of the literary success with which his work has beenaccomplished, he must of course leave otheIn attempting to present with romantic setting a truthful and realisticpicture of the powerful and picturesque Indian tribes that inhabitedthe Oregon country two centuries ago, the author could not beindifferent to the many serious difficulties inseparable from such anenterprise Of the literary success with which his work has beenaccomplished, he must of course leave others to judge but he maywithout immodesty speak briefly of his preparation for his task, andof the foundation of some of the facts and legends which form theframework of his story Indian life and character have long been afavorite study with him, and in these pages he has attempted todescribe them, not from an ideal standpoint, but as he knew them inhis own boyhood on the Upper Columbia Many of the incidentsrelated in the story have come under his personal observation othershave been told him by aged pioneers, or gleaned from old books ofNorthwestern travel The every day life of the Indians, their food,their dress, their methods of making their mats, of building theirhouses, of shaping their canoes, their gambling games, their religiousbeliefs, their legends, their subjects of conversation, the sports andpastimes of their children, all these have been studied at first hand,and with the advantages of familiar and friendly intercourse withthese people in their own homes By constant questioning, manyfacts have been gained regarding their ancestry, and the fragmentsof history, tradition, and legend that have come down from them.Indian antiquities have been studied through every available sourceof information All the antiquarian collections in Oregon andCalifornia have been consulted, old trading posts visited, and oldpioneers and early missionaries conversed with Nothing has beendiscarded as trivial or insignificant that could aid in the slightestdegree in affording an insight into Indian character and customs of aby gone age.

Title: The Bridge of the Gods: A Romance of Indian Oregon (Illustrated Edition)

Author: F.H. Balch

ISBN: null

Page: 494

Format: Kindle Edition

Comments

The love story is a little tame (view spoiler)[ considering that Wallulah has - apart from her mother - only known her people of the indian tribes her whole life, it seems strange that 3(!) short evenings with Cecil, she can't live without him and is has estranged her totally from her people and it's customs - and now see Snoqualmie as a barbarian Savage.(hide spoiler)] , but the many indian myths, customs and historic references are very interesting, as is the clash between the supestition of t [...]

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The Bridge of the Gods: A Romance of Indian Oregon (Illustrated Edition) By F.H. BalchIn attempting to present with romantic setting a truthful and realisticpicture of the powerful and picturesque Indian tribes that inhabitedthe Oregon country two centuries ago, the author could not beindifferent to the many serious difficulties inseparable from such anenterprise Of the literary success with which his work has beenaccomplished, he must of course leave otheIn attempting to present with romantic setting a truthful and realisticpicture of the powerful and picturesque Indian tribes that inhabitedthe Oregon country two centuries ago, the author could not beindifferent to the many serious difficulties inseparable from such anenterprise Of the literary success with which his work has beenaccomplished, he must of course leave others to judge but he maywithout immodesty speak briefly of his preparation for his task, andof the foundation of some of the facts and legends which form theframework of his story Indian life and character have long been afavorite study with him, and in these pages he has attempted todescribe them, not from an ideal standpoint, but as he knew them inhis own boyhood on the Upper Columbia Many of the incidentsrelated in the story have come under his personal observation othershave been told him by aged pioneers, or gleaned from old books ofNorthwestern travel The every day life of the Indians, their food,their dress, their methods of making their mats, of building theirhouses, of shaping their canoes, their gambling games, their religiousbeliefs, their legends, their subjects of conversation, the sports andpastimes of their children, all these have been studied at first hand,and with the advantages of familiar and friendly intercourse withthese people in their own homes By constant questioning, manyfacts have been gained regarding their ancestry, and the fragmentsof history, tradition, and legend that have come down from them.Indian antiquities have been studied through every available sourceof information All the antiquarian collections in Oregon andCalifornia have been consulted, old trading posts visited, and oldpioneers and early missionaries conversed with Nothing has beendiscarded as trivial or insignificant that could aid in the slightestdegree in affording an insight into Indian character and customs of aby gone age.